From Hack to Herzog: Introduction

Educational movements such as media literacy, digital literacy, and technological literacy emphasize the role of the fully literate student not only as an efficient and critical consumer of information and its sources, but also as a competent producer of media content in its myriad forms.

According to  the National Association for Media Literacy Education, “Media literacy empowers people to be both critical thinkers and creative producers of an increasingly wide range of messages using image, language, and sound. It is the skillful application of literacy skills to media and technology messages." 

This guide is organized based on the 4-phase documentary making process recommended by Hofer and Swan which mirrors the workflow of professional filmmakers. The process includes research, documentary treatment, storyboarding, and film production. Find a description of the first three phases under the "Pre-production/Planning" tab, and the final phase under the "Production/Technical Resources" tab.

Read an interview in The Atlantic with Sarah Klein and Tom Mason, producers of this short.